2025 Contest Resources

Welcome to the Resource Studio for the 2025 Ocean Awareness Contest, Connections to Nature: Looking Inside, Going Outside! Explore the sub-themes of Generational Knowledge, Concrete Jungle, Resilience, and Healthy Environments, Healthy Humans through articles, videos, activities, and more!
This Resource Studio is a work in progress, continually being updated with the latest information. Be sure to check back in for new updates!
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Student Artist: Jennifer Tsogtsaikhan
Student Artist: Jennifer Tsogtsaikhan

Table of Contents:

  1. Generational Knowledge
  2. Concrete Jungle
  3. Resilience
  4. Healthy Environments, Healthy Humans
  5. Additional Opportunities
Student Artist: Jennifer Tsogtsaikhan
Student Artist: Jennifer Tsogtsaikhan

Generational Knowledge

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Explore the powerful connections between people, land, and nature across time and cultures. 

Family Histories and Nature

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Discover how family histories and experiences are deeply tied to the land we inhabit. Explore how your ancestors’ connection to nature has shaped their lives, and reflect on what meanings the natural world holds for you and your community today.

Student Artist: Becky Kim
Student Artist: Becky Kim
Colonization, Industrialization, and Nature

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Over time, colonization and industrialization have altered landscapes and deepened the divide between humans and the environment. Learn how historical forces have impacted nature, and explore how some communities are reclaiming their connection to the land.

Indigenous Wisdoms

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Indigenous communities have long served as stewards of the earth, offering invaluable lessons on sustainability. Investigate how these communities have responded to climate change and how their traditional knowledge can help guide environmental solutions for the future.

Concrete Jungle

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Cities and nature are more connected than they seem, with urban environments relying on natural ecosystems while also shaping them in return. Learn how cities and nature can coexist through innovative green infrastructure, and discover ways to experience and connect with the natural world even in the heart of urban spaces.

Student Artist: Leo Kubota
Student Artist: Leo Kubota
How are Cities & Nature Connected?

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Discover the intricate relationship between urban environments and natural ecosystems, where cities rely on nature for resources while also impacting and reshaping their surroundings.

Student Artist: Leo Kubota
Student Artist: Leo Kubota
Coexisting

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Explore how green infrastructure – such as parks, urban forests, and sustainable designs – can bridge the gap between urban development and environmental sustainability.

Get Connected to Nature in Your City!

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Learn how to find and connect with nature in your own city!

Resilience

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Dive into how ecosystems bounce back from environmental disturbances, from large-scale projects like reforestation to local community actions such as urban gardening. Discover how both individual and collective efforts help create sustainable, resilient environments.

Student Artist: Rachel Kim
Student Artist: Rachel Kim
What is Environmental/Ecological Resilience?

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Explore what resilience looks like in an environmental context. What does it mean for a city or an ecosystem to be resilient?

Student Artist: Rachel Kim
Student Artist: Rachel Kim
Environmental Resilience in Practice

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Learn about how environments around the world, both natural and manmade, are responding to environmental disturbances like fractured habitats, deforestation, and climate change.

Healthy Environments, Healthy Humans

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Discover how a healthy environment contributes to human well-being, from boosting mental health to enhancing physical fitness, and explore meaningful ways to connect with nature in your everyday life.

Student Artist: Talulah Juniper
Student Artist: Talulah Juniper
How Does Nature Impact Physical Health?

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Explore the physical health benefits of being in nature.

Ways to Get Outside

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Discover ways to spend meaningful time in nature.

Additional Opportunities

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Visit our Opportunities page to find more ways to stay involved in environmental conservation and creative advocacy after participating in the Contest!